The city of Boulder is considering what its energy future will look like. The goal it to acquire "clean, local and reliable" energy in the future, and one voter-approved option is to start a municipal utility. For more information on the history of this decision, click here.

Longmont's citywide mosquito spraying plan draws local critics

By John FryarLongmont Times-Call

Posted:
07/17/2013 08:12:49 PM MDT

Updated:
07/22/2013 01:48:41 PM MDT

Melissa Rickson of Longmont plays with her cat Miss Etta in her front yard Wednesday in Longmont. Rickson is concerned about the effects of mosquito spray, saying it harms her trees, plants and cats. Three of her cats died of stomach cancer, and Rickson believes the spray may be to blame.
(
Kai Casey
)

LONGMONT -- Melissa Rickson is worried about the health risks she said a citywide mosquito spraying operation poses for people's and pets' health.

"I've had three cats die of cancer," said Rickson, who lives on the 1600 block of Third Ave.

"Veterinarians said they were exposed to something," Rickson said, adding that could have been from pesticide residues on the grass those cats nibbled.

"They eat grass. All cats do," Rickson said.

Even though Longmont's spraying operation isn't scheduled to start until 9 p.m. Friday, that's a time when many people are still "out and about," riding their bikes or walking in their neighborhoods, Rickson said.

Brian Governson, a microbiologist who lives on the 300 block of Judson Street, said he's concerned about the potential impact that many kinds of chemicals can have, including the pesticide that Colorado Mosquito Control, the city's contractor, will be spraying throughout Longmont.

Governson charged that the city and Boulder County Public Health "are overreacting" and "reacting out of fear" to recent samples of trapped mosquitoes that showed elevated numbers of those insects testing positive for West Nile virus.

With the citywide spraying, Governson said, "86,000 people" -- including him, his wife and their 8-year-old son -- "are going to be impacted by chemicals" he said can cause long-term harm to those people and the environment.

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Governson and Rickson are among a number of residents who came forward with criticisms after officials announced plans for the citywide spraying operation set for Friday night and possibly to be repeated Monday night.

City and Boulder County Public Health officials, however, have defended the safety of the pesticide being used -- AquaLuer 20 20, a permethrin-based adulticide -- at the levels they say will be involved and in the ultra-low-volume "fogging" process used to spray it.

Melissa Rickson of Longmont plays with her cat Miss Etta in her front yard Wednesday in Longmont. Rickson is concerned about the effects of mosquito spray, saying it harms her trees, plants and cats. Three of her cats died of stomach cancer, and Rickson believes the spray may be to blame.
(
Kai Casey
)

"Residents can shut windows to prevent spray from drifting into their homes, but the spray levels are set to be toxic to mosquitoes and not to humans," Boulder County Public Health said in its Tuesday news release about the Longmont emergency spraying effort.

"We're very sensitive to the chemicals we're using," said Dan Wolford, the city's parks, open space and greenways manager. "If it were unsafe, we wouldn't be doing it."

He said, "It really comes down to the risk to the community" of humans being exposed to West Nile virus if spraying isn't done to kill enough of the infected adult mosquitoes showing up in city traps in recent weeks.

"I truly believe that we're saving people's lives" with the emergency citywide spraying now planned for later this week and early next week, Wolford said.

But Rickson, who said she's seen declines in honeybees and ladybugs in her neighborhood in recent years -- declines that she said may be attributable to pesticides and herbicides used by residents and government to control insects and unwanted needs -- objected that the mosquito control contractor won't honor her request to stop its truck-mounted machine from spraying as it passes her house.

"I am absolutely outraged that the city is putting its citizens in this position," Rickson said.

She said she'll be staying inside with her three cats while the spraying is under way and that she'll be hosing down her property afterward, in the hope that'll wash away any pesticide residue.

Governson said that in addition to his family, he has concerns about toxic chemical impacts the spraying could have on his two dogs, a cat, chickens and a hive of bees on his property.

"We'll seal up the chickens" and cover the beehive and his garden, he said. But he asked whether the city cares enough "about people with respiratory diseases, such as asthma."

Longmont city officials said Wednesday that 11 Colorado Mosquito Control trucks will be spraying about 380 miles of city streets and that the process "will produce a very fine mist that will be released from trucks into the air, killing mosquitoes on contact."

"Permethrin can and has been used previously for public health mosquito programs, posing little risk to humans and animals, as long as it is applied appropriately," the city said in a news release. "IA similar mixture was used to spray the city in prior years. It is estimated that this process was 75 percent to 80 percent effective after the first application"

City officials said that while permethrin "poses minimal threat to humans and animals, some common sense steps can help reduce any unnecessary exposures."

Maintain awareness of spraying schedules.

Close windows and turn off window-unit air conditioners when spraying is taking place in your immediate area.

Do not let children play near or behind truck-mounted applicators when they are in operation.

Consult your physician for additional precautions if you suffer from chemical sensitivities or feel spraying may aggravate a pre-existing health condition."

Ballot language:
In November, Boulder voters narrowly approved two ballot issues related to starting a municipal utility: 2B and 2C. You can read the full text of the ballot language on the city's website.

Issue 2B asked voters to increase the existing utility occupation tax by up to $1.9 million a year. The money from the tax, which will be collected from customers by Xcel Energy, will be used by the city to cover the costs of moving forward with forming a municipal utility, such as more studies and legal fees.

Issue 2C asked voters for permission to actually form a municipal utility. The language allows the city to sell the necessary bonds to take over the current system from Xcel, but it states that the city may only move forward with forming a municipal utility if it can start the utility with rates that are the same or cheaper than Xcel's.

Helpful Links:City of Boulder: This is where the city is aggregating all of its documents, meeting information and updates on Boulder s energy future: bouldercolorado.gov/energyfuture

RenewablesYes: This website is run by the group of volunteers that lobbied local voters to pass a utility occupation tax in November to replace the expiring franchise fee from Xcel Energy. Now, the group is advocating for the city to secure a cleaner, more local energy supply. renewablesyes.org

Xcel Energy: Xcel is the largest utility in Colorado, and it currently provides electricity to Boulder. The city s 20-year franchise agreement with Xcel expired at the end of 2010. xcelenergy.com

Boulder Smart Energy Coalition: A citizen group that supports the city's general energy goals but has concerns about the risks involved with starting a municipal utility. bouldersec.com

SmartGridCity: Xcel Energy has installed a smart grid in Boulder. This web site provides more information on that initiative. smartgridcity.xcelenergy.com

Colorado Association of Municipal Utilities: This Colorado Springs-based group represents the state s 29 municipal utilities, which include utilities based in Lyons and Longmont. coloradopublicpower.org